A Stranger Changes Everything
by ultimatefan2093
Summary: A stranger walks into the Great Hall in Harry's first year. He is powerful and in control. What is his purpose? Who's side is he on? And how far will he go to accomplish his goals?


**I know I should work on my other stories, but this little one-shot has been in my head forever. I do not own HP. Hope you enjoy, I'm really proud of this one.**

First year Harry Potter sat between his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They were talking and laughing at Ron as he stuffed his face with food. It was the last night before the winter holiday and Hermione was again reminding them to continue to look for information on Nicholas Flamel. What none of the students, or even the teachers, were expecting was the door that was suddenly thrown open to show a silhouette standing there.

Dumbledore jumped to his feet, drawing his wand in one smooth movement. However, before it could even be trained on the visitor, the wand was flying through the air into the hand of the stranger. "Sorry Albus, but I can't have you cursing me just because I walked in. Would you like your wand back?" The man, for it was a man's voice, withdrew is own wand and levitated Dumbledore's wand back across the silent Great Hall.

Dumbledore stared incredulously as he took his wand. "Who are you?" he finally managed to ask.

The man stepped forward, a smile on his face. The students were shocked at the young age of the intruder. He looked to be around nineteen or twenty, barely older than some of the students and much younger than the professors. "I am sure my identity will be explained in time, but I'm here for a reason and I fear I must start on that immediately."

The stranger began walking and students at the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables leaned back away from him as he passed. The aura he gave off was not evil, but it was powerful enough that every child could sense it. He walked directly toward the staff table and stopped at the bottom of the steps. "I am here to help you all out. First thing first, may I ask Professor Quirrel to step forward?"

Nobody in the hall moved. Silence reigned. Finally, the stranger raised his wand, "Do not tempt me Quirrel. I will force you!"

Finally, Quirrel stood, slowly and on shaking legs. He knew that this stranger was much more powerful and skilled than he was. He slowly walked until he stopped right in front of the stranger, but remained on the platform to give him some semblance of control as he remained a head taller than the stranger. "W-w-w-hat d-d-do you w-w-want w-w-with me-e-e?" Quirrel finally managed to stutter out.

The stranger just laughed, a cold laugh with no warmth or semblance of happiness. Quirrel took a step back at the maniacal sound. "I do not want anything from you but for you to turn around. NOW!" the stranger's voice rose to such power and strength that Quirrel immediately complied. "Accio Turban," he called and the turban that had resisted the efforts to be removed by the students immediately flew into the stranger's hand.

Screams were heard around the hall as a morphed face pushed its way out from the back of their professor's head. "QUIET!" the stranger's voice was heard throughout the room despite all the sounds. The students immediately became silent. "Now," the stranger continued, "if you will all take your seats, I need to have a quick chat with Tom here about some personal items of his I need to return."

"Who are you who dares to address me? I am Lord Voldemort," the morphed face rasped out toward the stranger.

"I am the one you fear most. I am your personal angel of death. But before I take you, I wanted to return this to you." The stranger reached into a hidden pocket and the school strained to catch a glimpse of what was so important. Finally, he held it up…a diary. He tossed it at the heels of Quirrel. He reached into his pocket again withdrawing a locket which he also tossed while saying, "and this." Again he reached in pulling out a cup, a diadem, and a ring and soon they lay in a pile on the platform.

Lord Voldemort opened his mouth and snarled at the man, "Where did you find those?"

Again the stranger laughed his cold laugh. I know you too well Tom. You told me all your secrets by what you've done. But I'm not quite finished." He flicked his wand and the items rose, swirling in the air in formation when suddenly, a spark began and one-by-one the items became engulfed in flame. For those whose eyes were not fixed on the inferno but instead on the stranger, they saw his eyes spark with power and a touch of fear as he visibly fought to control the tendrils of fire.

Then, suddenly, it was out. Ashes fell slowly to the floor and the stranger closed his eyes, shoulders slowly slumping in exhaustion. "How dare you boy! You will pay for this!" Lord Voldemort cried as Quirrel began to take a step backwards toward the stranger.

The young man's head rose again. His eyes flew open as he stared at the oncoming figure and he lifted his wand, conjured a chair, and forcefully threw Quirrel and Voldemort toward it. Magically, he adjusted the men into a sitting position before conjuring ropes and once again forcing Voldemort to face him. "I'm not quite done Tom so if you would please calm down, we can finished and be on our way."

He turned to face the hall. The nearest children began to lean away from him as he looked toward the Gryffindor table, eyes scanning along the table. Finally they stopped, on Harry Potter and his friends. "Harry, will you please come here? I promise I will not hurt you. I promise!"

Emerald eyes met gazed up at the stranger. Finally, agonizing seconds later, Harry stood and slowly made his way to the front. He looked first at Lord Voldemort, who snarled at him, before turning toward the stranger and taking the final steps to him and stopping. The stranger looked over the young boy's head toward Voldemort before kneeling in front of Harry. He leaned forward and whispered something to the boy so quietly that even the closest student could not hear but it caused Harry to let out a small gasp and his eyes to grow as he took an involuntary step back.

His emerald eyes ran up and down the man, shock evident on his face. "Are you serious?" he managed to ask.

The stranger nodded before whispering, "Yes." The man rose to his feet again took a step back himself. "Now, do you trust me?" he asked the Gryffindor. Harry nodded and the stranger raised his wand, pointing it directly at Harry's forehead, exactly where his famous lightning bolt scar rested. "Avada Kedavra," the man said calmly. The effect was instantaneous. The boy fell backwards as Lord Voldemort laughed from his chair, cheering in success. The nearest seventh year students grabbed the man from behind as the teachers jumped to her feet. Other students encircled the Boy-Who-Lived, but none approached him. "Wait!" the stranger called out, "he isn't dead. Just wait." But he didn't fight his captors as they held his arms behind him.

Then, as Dumbledore approached the fallen child, suddenly he coughed and sat up. The Boy-Who-Lived had lived again.

"Now, will you let me go? I'm not quite finished but I promise I will not touch another student in this room. He survived as I knew he would. Let me finish my mission." The stranger's voice could be heard by Dumbledore even above the roar of the excited and amazed students. His blue eyes, covered by half-moon spectacles, looked at the man before he turned to the students holding him captive.

"Let him go. Students return to your seats, all of you. Professors, if you will, we will return to our own."

The hall stood dumbfounded but slowly began to comply. Once everyone had returned and silence had fallen once more, the stranger once again turned to Gryffindor table. "Ronald Weasley, may I see Scabbers please?"

"W-what do you want with him?" a scared Ron asked.

"He is not who he seems and I must stress the importance of me having him. It will benefit your friend Harry that much I can guarantee."

Ron's shaking hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the plump rat. "Accio rat" the stranger intoned and Scabbers flew into his outstretched hand. Once again, he pointed his wand at the rat and intoned another incantation, "Animagi Revelio." Suddenly, a man stood beside the stranger, being held onto by the scruff of the neck and the rat was nowhere to be seen. "Hello Peter," the stranger said before turning to Dumbledore. "Sirius Black is innocent. Pettigrew is proof of that but feel free to use veritaserum on both of them if you need further proof."

McGonagall rose and took control of Pettigrew, bonding him to prevent his escape before questioning could be completed. Finally, the stranger returned his gaze to Voldemort and with a flick of his wand turned the chair so Quirrel was now facing him. "Now, it's finally your turn Quirrel. You have two choices and both endings will be the same. You will be dead. The difference is how painful it will be for you. Choice one, I can kill you right here and now and kill Tommy-boy simultaneously. It will be quick and painless. Choice two, I can extract your parasite from your body during which, you will die a painful, possibly excruciating death. What's your choice?"

"Choice one. Do it boy. I have always known this would be my end," the Defense professor said calmly, no hint of his previous stutter present.

"Good choice," the stranger said as he pointed his wand at Quirrel's heart. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Quirrel went limp in his chair. The hall sat stunned as the stranger took in gasps of air. Finally, he looked up and took the steps up onto the teacher's platform. He walked up to Dumbledore and looked him in the eye. "It is finished. I have completed your mission for me." Then he turned and walked along the table. He reached into a hidden pocket on his chest and withdrew a small vial. The professors could see a swirling substance, neither liquid nor gas.

The man stopped in front of Professor Snape and looked him directly in the eye. These are yours. It is time I returned them to you."

With that he set the vial down and turned to walk out of the hall. As he reached the door, Dumbledore finally managed to speak, stopping the stranger in his tracks. "I'm sorry Harry. I can see you are not the man I hoped you would be. You are in much more pain, but stronger than I could ever expect. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. Traveling through time itself to right the world, giving up everything, you are a better man than I could ever hope to be. Live well Harry Potter."

The man turned back. "Goodbye Albus. Take care of my younger self. I know you will correct the mistakes I did not understand the first time around." Then, emerald eyes blazing he pivoted and escaped into the night, never to be seen again.

**Rate and Review please. Constructive criticism welcomed but flames are not.**


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